


Late Night Shift Romance

by Inumaru12



Category: Undertale
Genre: Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, In which BP is tired and just doesn't give a fuck about himself, Post-Game, Reader fic - Freeform, Reader is in the wrong place at the wrong time, This was originally going to be a chapter fic but that never happend so have what this is, monsters are just trying to live but there are some asshole humans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 16:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inumaru12/pseuds/Inumaru12
Summary: When you go to the local convince store in hopes of getting something to get you through writing papers in the middle of the night, you didn’t think that you’d get trapped in the middle of a robbery.





	Late Night Shift Romance

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be a multi-chapter fic for a Burgerpants/Reader (lol, in know) but I did the first chapter and never did more and not going to do more. I figured i'd at least post the first chapter, lol. It's not really Burgerpants/Reader seeing as there is nothing romantic in this so I'll just leave it Gen.
> 
> Also: the original title for this chapter was "That Guy Stole My Heart (And Another Guy Attempted To Steal Everything In The Register", lol.

It was nearing two am and you were crashing hard. You were in college and currently working on an essay that was due by noon the next day so sleeping was a luxury you couldn’t afford right now. You felt like shit and you probably looked like it the same but it was late and you just didn’t give a fuck about that right now.

You’re walking from your apartment to the nearby convenience store right around the corner and you can almost feel the sugar entering your body from all the fucking energy drinks you are gonna pour down your throat. You can also imagine your kidneys screaming in agony because of said drinks, but hell, if you’re not selling one of them to make money to pay for your growing student debt, what use are they anyway?  
Stepping onto the mat you only wait a half second before the doors automatically open and a dinging of an automatic bell rings and you have to blink a couple times for your eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness of the store.

“Hello!” A voice too perky to be anything but faked calls out to you.

The owner of the voice is the worker behind the counter and he’s wearing a horrifyingly fake grin like you’ve never seen before. The worker is a monster (was he a cat or a dog? You couldn’t tell right now and there was no way you were asking) and his lips were just kept pulled back into a nearly painful looking grin.  
You give a small wave but head towards the section where you knew the energy drinks were, picking up some snacks on the way. You were squatting down, looking at the different flavors and wondering if you were really sleep deprived enough to try a bubblegum flavored energy drink when you heard the doors whoosh open and the sound of the automatic bell and someone rushing in. You heard the employee start to say something, probably his greeting, when whoever had entered the store cut them off.

“Give me all your fucking money or I’ll fucking kill you!”

It took you a moment for your sleep deprived brain to catch up to what was happening. When it did, it hit you like a load of bricks. Holy shit, the store was getting robbed! Slowly getting up, you looked over the rack of snacks and energy drinks and saw a man in a stereotypical black mask holding what looked like a long kitchen knife out at the employee. He didn’t have a gun at least, thank goodness for small mercies. You looked at the employee and were taken aback; his expression was so different from the one when he had when you had walked in.

The monster had his lips pulled back with a wide grin and half lidded eyes as he watched the man who was threatening him. Then, to both yours and the guy robbing the place’s surprise, the employee started to reach for something out of his back pocket. Holy shit, was this guy carrying a weapon? Was this about to get violent, or, well, even more so? Then both you and the robber actually saw what it was that the employee had taken out of his back pocket: a lighter and a box of cheap ass looking cigarettes. Before the robber could react, the worker had one in his mouth and lit it up and was taking a long drag.

“Buddy, you can wave that knife all around you want but I’m already dead inside so it wouldn’t matter in the slightest.” The worker grinned and it almost looked manic.

You bent down, hiding behind the shelves as you dug your phone out of your pocket and quietly as possible called 911. The dispatcher told you that some officers were on their way and you were relieved but still nervous as you could hear the robber’s voice getting louder and angrier as the worker just brushed him off. You moved to peak over a shelf when you accidently knocked a can off the shelf and it fell and hit the ground with a loud crack. You were so boned.

“What the hell was that!? Is there someone else in the store?” The guy started waving the knife around even more from what you could see from where you were behind the shelf and you were starting to sweat. What were you supposed to do if that guy came after you with that knife? Looking around for some kind of makeshift weapon, you had never been so glad that a convenient store held just about everything as the fact a frying pan was one of the wares they carried in stock. Grabbing it and clutching it tight to your chest, you felt bubbling sensation of DETERMINATION start to rise in you as you got ready to attack the guy if needed.

You could hear the worker say something in a almost slightly panicked voice as if he’s trying to keep the robber’s attention on him but you can’t hear what he says as your heart is beating much too loudly in your ears. Suddenly that guy in the black mask is suddenly just there and he’s reaching for you and acting simply on instinct and determination alone, you swing the frying pan and connect straight on the guy’s face and the pan part actually breaks completely off and leaving you with a possible shank if the guy gets up. Lucky for you (and probably the robber himself) he didn’t get up as you had probably knocked him out. He was still breathing (at least you hoped so) when you got up and stepped over him and made your way to the counter where the worker was staring at you with wide eyes and a cigarette in the corner of his mouth.

“H-Hi,” Your voice shook and it took you a moment to realize that it wasn’t just your voice but your entire body was shaking as well. “I, uh, called the police a few moments ago. They should be here soon. Hopefully.”

“That’s great…” The monster mumbled, as if not really sure what to say.

You two just stood there, not really saying anything or looking at each other. You did your best to calm your shaking hands but the adrenaline in your body was in overdrive from the fear you had just gone through.

“Hey.”

You looked up and saw that the cat, or dog, or whatever he was, monster was holding something out to you and you realized that it was his open cigarette box; he was offering you a cigarette.

“Oh, thanks, but I quit a while ago.”

He shrugs but pushes the box at you again.

“So did I.” He says as he takes another deep drag of his own cancer stick.  
Sighing, because what the hell, you fucking deserve a break, you take one and you lean in closer so the monster can light you up. The first drag makes you cough a little bit, you haven’t smoked since your senior year in high school, but the next one goes in easier and you sigh as you can just feel yourself relaxing a bit. Smoking always did calm you down, hence why you were smoking nearly a pack a day in your senior year before you decided to quit as it was draining your wallet of its precious money.

Soon enough your hands weren’t shaking anymore and you were glad because not soon after the police showed up and both you and the worker were giving a report of what happened and it started to turn strange as you told the police everything from your point of view.

“He was pretty brave.” You tell the police. “He didn’t even let that guy rattle him and when the robber started to go after me, he tried to pull the guy’s attention back to him so he wouldn’t come after me.”

The worker got completely red and it was a strange and fascinating thing to watch because you didn’t think you it was possible to be blushing on fur but somehow he could.

“They’re the one who hit him with the frying pan; they did most the work.” The worker spoke up, obviously flustered a bit.

The two of you bickered back and forth a bit about who was really the hero in this situation, much to the cop’s amusement when suddenly a heavy set man came running into store and past the cops who were trying to keep him out.

“What the hell happened to my store?!” The man, who was obviously now known as the manager of the store, shouted. The man narrowed in on the worker and for the first time that night the worker started to look really nervous.

“Oh shit.” He mumbled; only you and the cop hearing him.

“I knew hiring you was a mistake and look what this mess you’ve caused!” The manager was nearly foaming at the mouth with how angry he was and it was strange to see the worker who had been so calm during the initial robbery to be so nervous and cowed now.

“That’s it, you’re fired! Now get out of my store!”

With those words, the monster just seemed to slump into himself and put his face into his paws with a look of utter defeat on his face. He was just starting to shuffle towards the door when your anger and disbelief came to a boiling over. Your grabbed his arm and wrapped your own around it and pulled him back. You didn’t look at him, but at that manager instead.

“What the hell is your problem? This guy just fucking stood up to a robber and you want to fire him for saving your damn store? What kind of logic is that?” Usually you wouldn’t be so rude or blatantly in-your-face with someone but it was the middle of the night, you had just dealt with a robbery, you were crashing hard and you were super pissed about asshole. You didn’t feel like being nice right now.

“Well-”

“He kept talking to the guy and never once gave him anything out of the cash register and when my dumbass self dropped a can and the robber noticed it, he tried to keep the robber’s attention on him.”

“Then how did I get broken merchandise?” The manager finally cut in; looking smug at the fact he thinks that he has a reason to fire the monster.

You felt your face heat up but you continued forward anyway.

“That was me. I used it when I realized the guy was coming to find me and I broke it when I smash it against his face. I’ll pay for it.” The last part was said with some reluctance, but it seemed to satisfy the manager a bit.

“Well,” The manager started to bluster, “While he’s done some good tonight, it still doesn’t excuse his behavior-”

“What behavior?! Trying to protect me and your store?”

“And his appearance since working here has lost us some of our valued customers.”

You were honestly stunned for a few moments as you stared at the manager with an open mouth. You could feel the employee stiffen and begin to shake a little in maybe restrained anger? You were about to open your mouth and go off on this racist idiot when you were stopped by the cop, who you honestly forgot was standing right next to you the entire time, who put a hand on your shoulder and spoke up.

“Sir,” The officer spoke and his voice was calm but there was a current of hostility underneath it that made warning bells go off in your head. “I hope you’re not trying to fire this young man simply because of his race. After all, we have those monster and human laws against such things and if you’re going to keep trying to do so, I’m going to have to call your HR department and seriously question them if they know they have a worker, a manager nonetheless, who isn’t taking the law seriously.”

The manager just started spluttering, too shocked for words, before sweating and waving his arms in a dismissive gesture.

“N-No, of course not! There is no need to do that! I’ll give him another chance in light of his…heroics of tonight. I’m sure he won’t let me down, right?”

“R-right!” The monster said suddenly from his position next to you.

“That’s good. Now, I need to take these two with me so I can question them further for a bit.” The officer said, putting a hand on my shoulder and gently pushing me towards the door, which in turn, had me pulling the monster I had my arm still wrapped around their arm, towards the door as well.

“But-! They’re still on the clock! Who is going to watch my store?”

“Well, you’re here aren’t you? Who better to watch it then the manager himself? We’ll get back to you about everything at a later time.”

Before you knew it, the officer was opening the door for both you and the worker to slide into the backseat of his squad car and the three of you were driving away from the store.

“So,” The officer spoke up after a bit. “Are you two hungry? I know a good diner that’s open at this time.”

You and the monster next to each other give each other a look of confusion of how this entire night is turning out and you just shrug, too tired to really fight it.

“Uh yeah, sure. I could definitely eat.”

So that’s how you ended up at a small diner with a police officer and a monster eating breakfast at almost four in the morning. It was a pretty surreal thing and you’re sure that once you go to bed and wake up after a long rest that you’ll wonder if the entire thing was a strange dream.

“Sorry you had to deal with that son, both the robbery and your manager.” The officer said once he drained his first cup of coffee. “If that man thinks I’m not going to report his behavior towards you to his HR, he’s in for a rude wake up.”

“Hell yeah,” You agree as you stab at your scrambled eggs a bit harder then was necessary. “I’m gonna call them tomorrow and give them a piece of mind too. I can’t believe he was gonna try and fire you over this.” You chewed a bit fiercely as the monster guy next to you sighed and rest his elbows on the counter and put his face in his hands.

“It’s not like it matters.” The guys said in resigned tone. “My manager is just going to find some other reason to fire me and I’m going to have to go around and beg for work again just like the last six, or was it seven?, jobs I’ve gotten. Hardly anyone wants to hire monsters and if they do they want them to be trophies as if to say ‘Look at what we have here, look at this fascinating creature on display!’ and it’s such bullshit.” Leaning back the cat (you were about ninety percent sure that he was a cat) monster ran his hands through his fur.

“Heh, wanna hear something stupid? I thought that when the barrier fell that I’d have a chance to start new and be someone…but I’m right where I was before the barrier fell. Working jobs I hate for people who hate me and making shit money and it’s just worse now. Before at least it was my employer hating me for myself but now its people hating me because of what I am.”

God, his tone made him sound like this was a fact of life but you could barely decipher a small bit of longing in his voice when he spoke of coming to the surface and starting a new life. Both the monster and you jumped when the officer slammed his silverware down onto his empty plate.

“It’s been five years since the barrier fell and some days I learn about shit like this and it just seems like it’s that first day all over again. My brother has been married for three years now to a lovely lady, a bunny monster, and they’ve been so happy that it blows my mind that anyone can just be so cruel when just about every monster I’ve met is very kind. Most situations I get called to with a monster to human situation I usually have to protect the monster from said human.” The officer was making a face at his empty plate but it lessened as he rubbed the back of his neck with a long and deep sigh.  
“Things seem to be getting better though. I’ve gotten fewer calls in this year and an half then the years before that. Things look like they’re starting to get better and I’m relieved that my brother, his wife and stepdaughter are getting fewer death threats; though I’d like that to stop completely.”

“So your sister in law is a monster?” I ask as I finish off the last of the food on my plate and set my utensils down and pushed the plate away.

“Yeah, my brother met her a year after the barrier fell and the two of them fought over the last bunch of carrots at the store and they’ve been together since. His wife and daughter are both bunnies and apparently she used to run a hotel back underground. She’s a really nice gal and her daughter is the sweetest thing so when people said and tried to do awful things to them it was infuriating and I enjoyed arresting those bigots who tried to harm any monsters.”

The officer goes quiet as the waitress comes and scoops up the three empty dishes and you turn to look at the monster next to you and you notice that he’s just staring out the window next to the booth the three of you are sitting in. He must see you staring in the reflection because a moment later he turns back to you with a tired look.

“What?” He asks a bit rudely, but you don’t mind as you feel as if you could empathize with the situation of that night.

“Y’know, I don’t think I ever got your name.”

He scowls and his cheeks turn red as he mutters something. Unable to hear what he says, you lean towards him, causing his cheeks to burn even redder (again, how was this possible over fur?) but he spoke a bit louder. What you heard though, made you doubt that you heard correctly.

“…Burgerpants?” You shoot a quick glance at the officer to see if maybe if he knew if names like this were regular for monsters (though you really honestly hoped not because that would just be sad) and the officer looked as bewildered as you.

“It’s what everyone calls me.”

Okay, so a nickname then; albeit, a horrible one.

“But is that what you want me to call you? Do you have another name you’d prefer to be called instead?”

The poor guy looked so surprised that you didn’t immediately take to calling him that horrible and strange nickname. Looking conflicted; the guy grimaced a bit before speaking again.

“My real name…isn’t important. It’s not like anyone remembers it anymore. Shit, not even my mom calls me by my real name anymore so what’s the point.” The monster gives a smile that screams self-hatred.

You’re not sure what to say at first because this is so incredibly heart-wrenching. Part of you wants to hug the guy but you’re not sure how he’d take that so you do your best to comfort you.

“I, uh, kinda understand what you mean.” You could just tell that both the officer and the monster who was nicknamed Burgerpants were staring at you and you could feel your cheeks go red as you continued. “I-I have one of those names I guess. Everyone forgets my name or calls me something completely different or some kind of nickname too…So what I’m trying to say is that I understand…Even if my situation isn’t nearly as bad as nickname like that.” You wince as those words come out of your mouth.  
“Sorry.”

Burgerpants waves your apology off and to your slight surprise; he actually does look a bit comforted.

“It’s alright. I-I appreciate the fact that you stood up for me to my boss. No one has ever done that before.” He mumbled the last bit to himself but you still heard it.

“It was what’s right. Tell you what,” The officer shifted in his seat and pulled out his wallet and pulled out two things: his cash card and what looked like a business card. He handed his cash card to the passing waitress and pulled out a pen from his pocket and wrote on the blank back of the business card before handing it to Burgerpants. You leaned a bit closer to him to see what it said.

The name Duncan Harrington along with a phone number and address for a police station was listed on there, as well as a different phone number hand written on the back.

“This is in case you ever have any problems, your boss given you hell like that again or not. If you can’t reach me through the station, that’s my personal number on the back so you call me if you need to.” The officer, Mr. Harrington, snorted and gave a grin. “Or if you’re hungry I’ll buy you lunch.”

Feeling determined by the older man’s kindness, you jump in to help as well.

“Hey, me too! You have a phone? We can exchange numbers.” Pulling out your phone, you smiled widely at Burgerpants. Said monster seemed to be getting more and more flustered, if not straight up confused, about all of this.

“Um, sure, I guess?” Fumbling for a bit, Burgerpants finally pulled his phone out of the confines of his pockets. It was an older model, old enough to the point it made you wonder if he actually got texting but nevertheless you inserted your number and your name into the contact info. After checking to see if he did have messaging and finding that he did indeed, you shot yourself a message and quickly enough you found your phone beeping with a new message alert.

“Cool, so we can text each other if you want.” You smile again at him before filling out his contact info in your phone. You paused at his name entry and wondered what you should put. Usually for friends and others you’d put nicknames and stuff but his name was already a nickname, and not a very good one at that. Shrugging to yourself, you entered ‘B.P.’ and put a cute smiling cat emoji and smiled a little to yourself.

“Okay.” Was he sweating? Oh man, you hope you weren’t overwhelming this guy.

The three of you made idle chatter for a bit (mostly you and the officer really) until the waitress came back with Officer Harrington’s cash card and your little group left the restaurant. Officer Harrington offered to give you both a ride back since it was so late, or rather, early, as it was nearly sunrise at this point. While riding in the back of the police cruiser, and that was much funnier to you then it should be, you thanked the officer for the meal and the ride before looking at your new…friend? He seemed extremely exhausted and you hoped for his sake he got some good sleep soon.

Officer Harrington got to your apartment building before you get to where Burgerpants had directed where his own apartment was. You felt a bit disappointed, as you wanted to make sure the guy got into his place safely, but you knew that the officer would take care of him. As the officer got out of the car and came to let you out, you turned to Burgerpants and smiled.

“Text me sometime if you want, okay? Or I’ll text you later, whatever works.” You shrug and the monster just gives you a strange look as if he is wondering if there is something really wrong with you.

That was kinda rude. There isn’t anything wrong with you! Okay, so maybe you’re feeling shaky from the sugar intake you just had or maybe it’s the fact you haven’t had any sleep or maybe even you’re acting like some super peppy teenager but you blame all those things on the night you just had. You ended up just shrugging it off as you slide out of the vehicle. You smile and thank the officer again for everything and he smiles and slides you his card as well, just in case. You thank him again and wave one last time to Burgerpants through the window before making your way to your apartment.

Once inside you sigh deeply, glad to be home as the sudden exhaustion overtakes you. You can barely make it to your room and you hardly have the motor functions to move the still open laptop to the side table by your bed before you flop on your bed. You still have work that’s due today but you know that you’ll never be able to finish it like this. Maybe your teacher will feel bad for you when you tell them what happened to you but you kind of doubt it.

Before you finally fall asleep, you hope that Burgerpants gets hope okay and you are determined to send him a message later.

**FIN**

**Author's Note:**

> Also for anyone interested, the entire idea/plot for the story was centered around Burgerpants finding himself and becoming healthier mentally and physically with him eventually finding love with Reader. I had thoughts of making him an actor but I never got very far in the planning.


End file.
